


Alfred's Excuse

by PorcelainPoppet



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Christmas, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-06
Updated: 2013-01-06
Packaged: 2017-11-23 21:07:54
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,691
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/626534
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PorcelainPoppet/pseuds/PorcelainPoppet
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Originally written for an AmeCan secret Santa.</p>
<p>Everyone is gathered for Christmas dinner, Alfred is late and when he does come he has one hell of an excuse for it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Alfred's Excuse

The whole house smelled like fresh baked sugar cookies mixed with cinnamon and turkey dinner. Francis and Arthur were sitting on the couch; each had a mug of eggnog in their hands with more than one shot of rum in it. They were studiously not looking at each other, though last Matthew checked they were not fighting, but with those two things changed faster than the tide came in at the bay of Fundie so he could never really be sure.

His counterpart was sitting close to the tree on the floor, tucking gifts neatly around the base of the tree and talking with Alfred who was sitting next to him and drinking his own glass of eggnog and talking at Matthew since the other wasn’t really listening.

The only one missing from the get together was Alfred’s counterpart. Matthew moved to the kitchen to check on dinner, humming a bit to himself. He was basting the turkey when he heard a small yelp come from the other room, followed by laughing and a few jeers at how the American was pleasantly plump already and he should lay off the eggnog. He chuckled to himself quietly at the antics as he finished the turkey and pushed it back into the oven. He grabbed a plate of appetizers and brought them out.

Alfred was glaring at Matthew and Francis and Arthur were still pointedly not looking at each other or even acknowledging the small feud brewing between the two siblings that were sitting near the tree.

Matthew set the plate down on the coffee table between Francis and Arthur and before he moved to sit himself down between them. 

“We are just missing your brother aren’t we Matthew?” Arthur spoke up as he set his mug down on the table and picked out a cheese stuffed pastry to pop in his mouth.

“Ah yes… I’m not sure what’s keeping him.” He shrugged as he grabbed Arthur’s mug and took a sip from it. Definitely more than one shot of rum in there. He set it back down as he licked his lips.

 

Francis seemed to perk up slowly as he looked over at Matthew, “the boy will have some kind of explanation I am sure.” He commented. A snort could be heard from the other side of the room making all three on the couch look over as the other Matthew stretched and turned to face them.

“I am sure it’s something along the lines of alien abduction or ghosts causing an accident.” Matthew spoke up, a bit of a grin on his lips.

“No no, you are thinking to small. It’ll be something like giant frog monsters blocking the highway or a gremlin tearing apart his car engine or something.” Alfred waved a dismissive hand at his brother as he flopped back on the ground to look over at the group.

All those suggestions only made Matthew roll his eyes as he got up from the couch, as soon as he moved his bear jumped in to replace him, stealing the warm seat.

“I doubt he will have any kind of excuse.” He knew his brother had come up with some wild stories in the past but this was Christmas, he doubted Al would bother with some grand tale. He picked up a mini sausage roll and popped it into his mouth before he went back into the kitchen. Dinner didn’t need any more attention, but he needed to keep himself busy. He poured himself a glass of milk and sipped it, listening to the light banter that had started up in the living room again.

Matthew was beginning to zone out as he listened to his family and to the timer ticking away on the counter when there was a knock on the front door. It seemed to make everyone fall silent before someone got up, probably Arthur, and went to answer it. Alfred and Matthew had fallen silent in the living room and Matthew had set his cup down and inched out of the kitchen to peek into the hall.

The cold breeze from outside blew in carrying swirls of large white snowflakes. Arthur stood at the door as he greeted someone and ushered him or her inside. Alfred pulled his hat off, shaking snow from it and grinning at the Englishman. “Sorry I’m late pops.” He was grinning. Matthew frowned before he moved down the hall, hands on his hips as he glared at his brother.

“Heya Mattie! I haven’t seen you in so long.” Alfred didn’t seem to notice Matthew’s displeasure as he ignored Arthur’s protests to him still wearing his boots as he moved to wrap his brother in a hug.

Matthew could smell the cold on him and feel it sink through his sweater and chill him. With a huff he lightly thumped his brother on the shoulder.

“It’s Christmas Eve Al and you’re late.” Matthew frowned at the other man as he was let go. Alfred wore a rather startled look on his face at that reaction. It only took a moment for that to crack into a grin though as he ruffled his brother’s hair.

“Yeah I have a really good reason though I swear!” Al chimed as he finally took his coat off, shaking more snow onto the ground. Arthur was taking each piece of clothing and hanging it up meticulously.

“Can we have this conversation in the living room so I can shut the bloody door?” Arthur looked even more chuffed than Matthew did.

The three moved to the living room, Arthur settling back on the couch though Matthew noticed he was a cushion closer to Francis. Alfred had picked a stool near the tree a small brown paper wrapped package on his lap. Matthew was left to stand near Matt, his arms folded over his chest as he stared at Alfred.

“So what is this good reason Alfred?” Matthew stared at his brother for a long moment, waiting to hear some outrageous excuse from him.

“Well…” Alfred fidgeted with the package in his lap, “I’ve never been able to get you the right gift for Christmas Matthew… or for your birthday. I always managed to mess it up or get you something I know you just smile at and say you like because you don’t want to hurt my feelings. So I wanted to get you the perfect gift this year. I went and found the perfect thing and I had to go pick it up from the store today because I had to order it in.” He glanced down at the package and squeezed his fingers around it.

“When I got there they gave me the wrong one and it took them a few hours to find the right one. When I finally got it I was in such a rush to get here on time I… umm… well I got pulled over for speeding.” He sighed a bit as he looked down at his lap again.

“When I went to pull my registration out it… um… well it wasn’t there… I forgot I’d taken it out of the car so I could put it in the proper envelope thing.” His hand was combing through his short hair now.

“They impounded my truck and drove me to my house to get the registration and… well it was all one big mess. When I did finally get my truck back and was on the way here I realized I had the wrong truck. I was half way here, but my gift for you was in my truck and I couldn’t come without it so I had to go back to the station and they told me they’d mixed my truck up with another guys. I had to beg them for the guys address and stuff, when I did get it I went to the guys place and he wasn’t home.” He looked tired now as he tried to explain.

Matthew did not believe any of this so far, the speeding ticket he could believe but nothing else was ringing true. He glanced at the other two who were sitting on the floor by the tree still looking bored. Matt was running his fingers idly though Alfred’s hair.

“So I was going to leave and come here and apologize to you profusely for not having your gift when someone came out of the house. It was this guy’s brother. I explained what had happened to me and he told me that his brother was at the family get together and he was on his way there now so he would give me a ride so I could get my truck back. Only this place was an hour away in the other direction of here.” He had his face in his hands now as he sighed.

“I went with him and got my truck back and… well I got your gift back as well.” He looked up at Matthew hopefully now, the brown paper package held in his hand. His brother had gotten off his stool and moved over to him, brushing his fingers through Alfred’s hair much like his counterpart was doing with his brother. Alfred blinked up at him, his lips parted in an apology that didn’t make it out as his brother was kissing him. Alfred’s cheeks went red and he was left speechless when Matthew pulled back and smiled warmly at him.

“You don’t need to get me any amazing gifts Al.” Matthew said as he leaned in for another slow kiss. Francis made a small sound of happiness at the sight before he cried out softly in pain, probably because Arthur had elbowed him in the side.

The two counter parts sitting near the tree smiled over at the other couple, Matthew had an arm wrapped around Alfred’s waist as he glanced over at his brother and stole a brief kiss.

Alfred was still flustered that Matthew had even kissed him as his fingers made the brown paper crinkle. “Merry Christmas Al,” Matthew smiled as he took the paper package from his brother and set it aside.


End file.
